Cold-packed pipe-joint and method of producing the same



(No ModeL) A. N. RANKIN.

GOLD PACKED PIPE JOINT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME.

No. 347,060. Patented Aug. 10, 1886.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES ANDREW NERVA RANKIN,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK.

COLD-PACKED PIPE-JOINT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE'SAM-E.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 347,060, dated August 10, 1886.

Application filed May 15,.1884. Serial No. 131,649. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW NERVA RAN KIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the village of Jamaica, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Cold-Packed Pipe-Joints and Method of Producing the Same, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to pipe-joints and to the art of producing the same, and its object is to provide a substantial and economical means of uniting sections of ordinary metal pipe one to another, and alsoa reliable method of effecting the same.

The features of novelty for which I desire protection in this instance are pointed out in the claims at the end of this description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which like features are indicated by like letters, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a section of ordinary cast-iron pipe. Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 a side view, of the detachable collar used in perfecting the joint. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of a modification of the collar. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a section of pipe, showing the collar in position with its side extension in contact with the soft-metal packing-band. Fig. 7 is aflongitudinal sectional view of two sections of pipe, showing the appearance of my joint when per feeted. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a section of pipe, showing special features hereinafter described; and-Fig. 9 is a plan view of the wrought-iron band with dovetail recess and dovetail tongue.

My present invention is intended to be applied to pipe havinga smooth exterior surface as contradistinguished from pipe having its body grooved or recessed, and it contemplates the employment of sections of pipe provided at one end with anenlarged mouth or socket having straight or parallel interior walls, or walls increasing in size from the mouth to the base, but in no case decreasing or tapering from the mouth to the base of said socket, '(see the unused socket of Fig. 7,) while the other end is of the same general diameter as the body of the pipe, and may or may not have a head at its extreme end, and

is commonly termed the spigot end. The I usual method of forming the joint between .two such sections of pipe, after the spigot end of one section has been inserted into the socket of the companion section, is to force in a slight packing of hemp or the like to prevent the.

' molten lead from running into the interior of weaken the packing.

Molten lead in cooling uniformly shrinks toward its center, so that, according to this law, the lead packing, when applied in amolten state in the manner described, does not adhere to the inner walls of the socket, but hugs the spigot end, and hence the necessity for the use of the calking-iron; but, aside from the deleterious effect upon the packing by the use of the calking-iromth calking operation produces but a very slight contact of the body of the lead packing with the interior of the socket, usually just around its mouth. The result is that when such a joint is deflected from any cause in any direction the lead, having lost its elasticity from being crystallized under the action of the calking-iron, will. readily separate from contact with the mouth of the socket, and thus cause the joint to leak. A more serious objection to this style of joint is found in the fact that the deflecting of the pipe after the formation of the joints often results in the breaking of the enlarged months or sockets, which causes very serious damage.

By my invention I propose to overcome the above-mentioned objections.

In carrying out my invention I mold a band of lead or other suitable soft metal or composition 0 around the pipe a at or near its spigot end, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. To accomplish this I make useofa mold of the required shape, which is constructed in such a way that a portion of the rear end of the bandsay about one-third of its width--will not adhere to the pipe. The reason for this will be presently explained. is filled with lead or other suitable softmetal After the mold in a molten or fluid or semi-fluid state, sufficient time isallowed the metal to harden before removing the mold. In the process of hardening, as already explained, thesoft metal shrinks toward its own center, andthns effects a permanent positive union between the band c and pipe a, except at the rear end of the band, where the mold has prevented contact between the band and pipe.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7 the packing-band c is straight or untapercd, and its diameteris a little smaller than the bore of the socket of the companion section of pipe, while its breadth is just sufficientto accomplish it work, but leaving a space or air-chamher behind it, as shown in Fig. 7. The pipe a is shown provided with the usual bead, b, at its spigot end; but the presence or absence of this featnreis not material to the success of my invention. Y

My method of perfecting the joint between two sections of pipe of the character described is as follows: The spigot end of one section, provided with the soft-metal packingband 0, is inserted into the socket of a companion section, and the detachable collar (2 e, (shownin Figs. 2 and 3,) constructed with a side extension, 9, whose diameter or crosssection is a little less than that of the bore of the socket of the companion section of pipe, is placed in position around the spigot'end, so that the front edge of such side extension y will bear against the packing-band c, asshown in Fig. 6. If found more convenient, the 001-. lar d 6 may be placed upon the spigot end of the pipe before the said end has been inserted into the socket of the companion section of pipe. And to insure the proper centering of the spigot end in the socket, I may make use of one or more set-screws passing through the side of the collar and operating in a wellknown manner to center the spigot in the socket. \Vhen the parts are properly'adjusted, a hydranlicjacking device of suitable construction is applied to exert pressure upon the back of the collar d e, with the effect of upsetting the rear end of the soft-metal packing-band and forcing it in close contact with the wall of the socket by friction. This produces a dovetail joint when the socket increases in diameter from its mouth toward its base. After the joint has been thus perfected the collar is removed.

It will be seen that by the use of the collar with its side extension a pressure upon and around the whole circle of the packing-band c is obtained simultaneously, and that the crystallization and consequent weakening of the packing as induced by the use of a. calking-iron and hammer are entirely obviated.

My joint, when made according to the method above explained, will present the appearance shown in Fig. 7. It will be observed that back of the packing-band 0, within the socket, in this view of the perfected joint, there is a vacant space, the object of which is to permit the pipe to deflect in any direction to considerable extent without liability of the body of the pipe coming in contact with the edges of the mouth of the socket. It is thus I avoid aserious objection to the commonlyemployed joint, since, as usually made with the calking-iron and hammer, the lead fills up entirely the mouth of the socket and permits no deflection of the pipewithout loosening the packing, and oftentimes breaking the socket.

The detachableside-extension collar, d e, is preferably made in two parts, as shown, and provided with flanges f, whereby it may be readily attached to or detached from the pipe. It may, however, be made in more than two parts, or it may be made in one continuous flexible piece. The side extension, of the collar d e may'also be made in a number of pieces, so as to have thicker and thinner plates in emergencies.

The modification of the detachable collard I e shown in Figs. 4 and 5 needs no special explanation, its distinguishing feature consisting in making the side extension, 9, of the same diameter as the rest of the collar, the diameter of the whole beluga little less than the diameter of the bore of the socket of the pipe.

When the sides of the socket are parallel, instead of makinguse of the collar with side extension in the manner specified, the required lateral support to the packing-band 0 maybe supplied by a bead or band, h, formed around the exterior of the spigot end of the pipe, as shown in Fig. 8. This bandmay constitute an integral portion of the body of the pipe, or it may consist of a ring of wrought-iron separately made and shrunk upon the pipe. If the pipe happens to be without the bead b, usually formed at its extremity, thering intended to form the bead It may be made, and while expanded with heat applied in the required position upon-the surface of the pipes spigot, and allowed to fasten itself there by shrinking; or, if the pipehas the bead b atits extremity, I employ to form the required band at h a strap of wrought-iron, on one end of which there is formed a dovetail recess and at the other end a corresponding dovetail tongue, which strap,having been made sufficiently hot, is bent around the pipcs spigot at the desired location and the dovetails interlocked.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The method of forming a pipe -joint, which consists in casting a band of soft metal of equal diameter throughout its circumference on the spigot end of a metal pipe, then inserting said pipe into a companion section having a bell-mouth, and finally upsetting the packing-band so as to make it adapt itself to the walls of the'socket, substantially as described.

2. A metal pipe the surface of which is smooth, having permanently secured upon its spigot end a packing-band of lead or other suitable soft metal, the outer circumference of which is ofequal diameter throughout its breadth, in combination with a socket or hell perfecting the herein-described cold-packed 1o the-inner walls of which are inclined, subpipe-joint, consisting of a sectional collar stantially as described. I having side extensions, 9, substantially as de 3. A metal pipe the surface of which is scribed.

5 smooth having a packing-band of lead or 7 other si iitable soft metal, which for about twoi ANDREW NERVA- A thirds of its breadth is permanently secured Witnesses:

upon the spigot end,substantially as described. J. E. SHAW,

4. A detachable upsetting device for use in R. M. TUDOR. 

